ARC vs. Foothill College

Comparable Facts

Compare American River College in Sacramento, CA with Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

American River College is larger than Foothill College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 12,949 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Foothill College is in Los Altos Hills, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Foothill College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Foothill College 26:1.

ARC vs. Foothill College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Foothill College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at American River College than Foothill College ($9,488 vs. $10,805).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Foothill College are 5.9% lower than at American River College ($20,793 vs. $22,086).
• Foothill College is 21.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than ARC (about $277 more per year; $1,565.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0.2% higher at ARC than at Foothill College (about $26 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $12,590.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Foothill College (89% vs. 67%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by American River College students is 29.2% larger than aid received by Foothill College students ($5,456 vs. $4,223).

ARC vs. Foothill College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ARC or Foothill College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Foothill College and ARC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: ARC - Open admission; Foothill College - Open admission.

ARC vs. Foothill College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Foothill College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Foothill College earn a median of about $22,800 more per year than ARC graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,400 vs. $36,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Foothill College graduates have a $3,261 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($8,972 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, Foothill College graduates have an estimated $34 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($92 vs. $126).
• More Foothill College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 26%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.